Running In Circles
by Sarga
Summary: Reborn after the fight with Queen Beryl, Serena, her memories intact, finds herself longing for a love beyond her reach. Forced to face the possibility that he might not be her moonlight knight after all Serena yearns for the love of a thousand lifetimes
1. Prologue: To Everything Turn

**_Running in Circles_**  
_Written by Sarga_

_Posted March 17, 2010_

_Summary: Reborn after the fight with Queen Beryl, Serena, her memories intact, finds herself longing for a love beyond her grasp. Forced to face the possibility that he might not be her moonlight knight after all Serena yearns for the love of a thousand lifetimes._

_  
Rated M for adult situations and language._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon, but I promise to put her back just the way I found her._

* * *

**Prologue – To Everything, Turn**

. . . . . . . . . .

Serena found herself to be dead.

She was not sure how she knew, but she did; just like she knew the sun would keep rising, the earth would keep turning and the moon would keep casting its ethereal glow upon a grateful planet.

Serena could feel from the very depths of her non-being as the earth pulsed with life, recovering from its brush against near fatality with a resilience that astounded her. Aware of the distinct connection with life that went on around her, Serena found herself wandering; reaching out here and there in subtle ways that were rarely noticed but were always welcome.

A young woman yearned for a boy who never seemed to notice her. The wind blew just that certain way to change the direction of his gaze. Their eyes met and her spark was returned.

A grandfather found the strength in his illness to lift his granddaughter to his knee one last time. Reading her favourite story aloud, it would be a memory she would treasure for the rest of her life. He would too.

A mother caressed the cheek of a murmuring infant and his eyes opened to meet hers. She was a mother!

Serena flitted over and under and into lives around her, waiting for something, something she could not quite place. She did not know what it was she waited for until she felt it; her Other. He was calling her, and she rushed to his side in a heartbeat. But he was hurt in ways that she could not fix. He was alone and no amount of gentle persuasion could ease his pain. She watched with an ache in her own non-existent heart as his sombre sorrow was borne with stoic resolve. She could feel as his heart tried to close to the world even as it cracked under its own immense weight. This boy-child, this perfect mirror to her own free-spirited exultation, tethered her to him and soon she could bare it no longer. She vowed to help him in any way she could.

And so, Serena was born.

. . . . . . . . . .

Serena awoke to the sights and sounds of her new body with a sense of purpose. Her whole being shouted at her to aid her Other. But she was so small and he was so far away... how could she reach him without even the power to roll over, let alone stand and run to him as she longed to do. This was sheer torture; to be kept from him was such a cruel fate. It pulled on her insides and she was at a loss, so desolate that she did the only thing remaining in her tiny body's power; she screamed.

The nurses came running at the sound of the previously silent infant letting lose with a cry of mourning unheard of from one so young. The new mother was in a panic and nothing anyone did could console either mother or child.

Amidst all of the scurrying the lone boy went unnoticed as he entered the room. Silently he stood and watched as the little bundle made more noise than even he could venture to make. As he stood silently to the side, Serena felt herself become aware of her Other and she calmed. Searching the room with her shiny blue eyes she saw him. Welcoming him with her gaze as he approached, seemingly as drawn to her as she was to him. Reaching out a timid hand, he softly stroked her cheek. She closed her eyes, and let out a gentle sigh as she felt his feather-light caress. She was too small to help him yet; she had to focus on getting bigger so she could be there for him.

But this would do for now.

. . . . . . . . . .

Serena lay awake in her bed, her three year old body far too young for the thoughts that floated around behind her bouncy blonde curls. She thought back to her life before, to where she had defeated Queen Beryl, but at the cost of her life and the life of all of her friends. She was pretty sure Luna and Artemis had been fine but she had not seen hide nor hair of either one since she had started this round of life. She could not help but feel relief at the thought. If they made themselves apparent, it would only mean the reactivation of Sailor Moon and all that went with it. If it meant a long boring life, Serena was glad to be apart from her alter-ego.

It seemed to Serena that this time around was a little brighter than the last. She was so much more aware of the things around her, the moods of her parents, the desires of her young friends as their minds grew at the same pace as their bodies. Even so, Serena sometimes longed for the joyful oblivion that her peers were born with. It was only now, now that she had spent three years apart from her Other and knowing every moment that she was powerless to seek him out, that she realized the folly of remembering her past.

At an early physical age she had started to communicate with shocked parents. Since then she had been heralded as a genius child and Serena chuckled to herself as she thought of her past life and her less than stellar academic record. It would be years before she would have to think about that, though. The challenge would come when she hit high school and really didn't know what was going on.

For now she would enjoy the company of Amy, who had also been sent part time to a nursery for gifted children, and watch as the girl she once knew came into her own.

. . . . . . . . . .

At five years of age Serena saw Darien for the second time. There he stood at the corner with a satchel in hand, ready to cross the road, looking first in one direction then in another. He made it half way before his eyes met hers and, startled, he froze on the spot. Her voice screaming was the last thing he heard before screeching tires and blackness overtook him.

Serena's mother, trained in first aid, ran after her five year old daughter as the driver, pale and shaking, got out of the car. Knowing not to touch him for fear of a broken neck, Serena let her tears fall unchecked at the sight of her Other, her Darien as he lay broken on the ground. Using her training, Serena's mother took care of the unconscious boy until the paramedics arrived and, seeing no other adult lay claim to the child, she took it upon herself to travel with him to the hospital.

Serena held his hand until the paramedics took him beyond her reach.

Serena's voice was the first thing Darien heard when the blackness gave way to the light.

Cracking his eyes open, he looked on her in confusion as if trying very hard to think of something.

"Do I...know you," Darien asked, his youthful voice subdued in confusion and pain.

"I don't know," Serena furrowed her brow as she tried to suppress the hope she felt building deep within her. "Do you?"

Darien stared at her long and hard before giving up and closing his eyes. Sighing in exasperation, he brought his hand up to the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath.

"Do you..." his voice was shaky, uncertain. "...know me?"

She was taken aback by the question, she knew something was wrong and her hope turned into a festering pit of fear.

"I know you, Darien," she began softly.

"Darien," he repeated in a hushed whisper, the word seemingly foreign in his mouth.

Serena's eyes widened and she did her best not to let the fear escape her in one gulping sob. She succeeded, but only barely.

"So who are you," Darien asked timidly, glancing up to her hair. "For some reason I get the feeling that calling you meatball head would get me punched in the guts."

"Thank goodness!" a matronly voice called from behind, hiding Serena's shocked gasp. Stepping into the room, a kindly-looking nurse began to assess the damage. "What's your name, son?"

"Dar...Darien," he responded hesitantly, glancing to the golden haired girl for her nod of confirmation.

Nodding once the nurse took out a pen light and flashed it into his eyes a couple of times.

"Who are your parents, Darien, honey? We couldn't find any information in your bag."

"I..." Darien gave a pleading look to Serena. "I don't know," his voice was near breaking "I can't remember."

"His parents died when he was five." Serena spoke in his stead, her eyes dropping to the floor, unable to meet his gaze. "He goes to Tamagawa Elementary school. I'm sure you'll be able to find out who his guardians are from them,"

The nurse looked from the girl to the boy, a furrow of confusion and concern in her brow.

"How do you know that, sweetie?" the woman asked as she continued on with her poking and prodding.

"I'm..." Serena chanced a glance at her Other and saw that he had sunk back into his pillows. Eyes closed, he looked weary but she knew he was awake and aware. "I'm a friend."

A friend who hoped to be so much more.

. . . . . . . . . .

Serena lost herself to her tears as she fought hopelessly against the tide of sorrow that sought to drown her. Having kept track of him over the past two years, she was hopelessly inconsolable at the sudden loss of her darling Other. Oh, he wasn't dead, that would have been easy to remedy. Rather, his guardians had moved him away almost overnight, it seemed they were concerned about his loner tendencies.

For the past couple of years his presence had joined hers in the park every afternoon and even though she only caught glimpses of him, she could feel deep down that he was there, and that it was for her that he kept returning.

Sitting alone on an empty park bench, feeling his presence pull further away than he had ever been in this life, Serena let the warm summer rain wash over her grieving soul.

New York, New York.

He would be half a world away by the time she awoke the next morning. He would be as far away from her as he could be without coming back. Serena let out a heart-wrenching scream in the abandoned park, panting with the exertion.

Finally able to calm herself, she stood up from the park bench and began the lonely trek home.

. . . . . . . . . .

**TO BE CONTINUED...**

NEXT: Chapter One – Degrees of Separation

. . . . . . . . . .

_This story lies between the end of the first season and the beginning of the second season (R). While I watched mostly only the first two seasons of the North American version, I did see some episodes translated. I've also watched the live-action Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon so I may have some story traits mixed up between them. Either way, it's somewhere off on its own in the Sailor Moon universe._

_This is the first fanfic I ever conceived, although it has never been written down until now. Mind you it was more than ten years ago that I thought of this story, long before I even knew what a fanfic was, but it's stuck with me since then and I keep being drawn back to it. This story, while modified from my original (tweenager's) plot, has been knocking around my head for more than a decade and I hope I can do it justice._

_As always, your feedback is greatly appreciated on grammar, spelling, plot holes or anything else that tickles your fancy._

_I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I do writing it!_

_~Sarga_


	2. Chapter One: Degrees of Separation

**_Running in Circles_**  
_Written by Sarga_

Posted March 17, 2010

_Summary: Reborn after the fight with Queen Beryl, Serena, her memories intact, finds herself longing for a love beyond her reach. Forced to face the possibility that he might not be her moonlight knight after all Serena yearns for the love of a thousand lifetimes._

_  
Rated M for adult situations and language._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon, but I promise to put her back just the way I found her._

* * *

Chapter One – Degrees of Separation

. . . . . . . . . .

At the tender age of fourteen, Serena graduated from high school with honours. It hadn't been without its challenges, after all no overachiever is given an easy time by her peers, but she had made it. Now would come the hard part, getting into medical school and finding Darien. Looking at the two she wasn't sure which would be harder.

Serena pulled herself out of her bed five minutes before the alarm, something she had done since Darien's accident at the age of ten. When he had still been around she had always waited at the corner, out of sight, to watch to make sure that he got safely to his school. Since then, rising early had become habit, one that had helped her stay at the top of her classes.

Shaking out her bed covers, Serena made her bed and prepared for her day. Pulling on a stuffy shirt and dress coat with matching skirt she made sure she was as presentable as possible for her meeting with the dean of medicine at Tokyo University. It was not every day that a person got in to see the dean, especially not a high school graduate who still had several years before she was old enough to be legally permitted to apply to the faculty...

Serena shook her head and gave herself a silent scolding as she felt her nerves get worked up. She _had_ to do this right; it was about more than just Darien now. She could be in a position to help hundreds of people by going into paediatrics or oncology; kids or cancer... weird combination but it felt right.

Still, the idea of having something more in common with Darien did help her breathe easy. Here there was no Sailor Moon, no dark knight with the red roses to bring them together. Serena would have to make the opportunities she had taken for granted in a past life.

Plodding down the stairs Serena was greeted by the pleasant smell of pancakes, grinning with the knowledge that she could have them all to herself for once.

"Morning, Mom," Serena greeted as she sat to the table and began piling pancakes onto her plate. "When's Sammy going to be back?"

"Thursday afternoon. Tomi's parents seem to have extended their vacation until Wednesday night and it'll take them almost a full day to cross over by ferry and drive in." Serena's mother seemed to be a little less worried about lacking a child than she could have been, but then again, Sammy had always been a rambunctious handful.

Serena ploughed through her breakfast, piling up another two stacks of pancakes and syrup before doing the morning's dishes and preparing for departure. Pleasant morning banter filled the air as mother and daughter both danced around the butterflies threatening to overwhelm them both. Soon they were on their way to the university where the course of Serena's next few years would be set.

. . . . . . . . . .

"That went quite well, don't you think?" Serena's mother asked her as she led the sweaty-palmed girl toward the exit.

To be honest, Serena would not have been able to repeat a single word spoken in there but somehow she had been 'unofficially' accepted into one of the most prestigious medical schools in the world. _Of course_ the dean had been excited to speak with the youngest high school graduate to grace his university in seven years. _Of course_ she would be welcomed into the Faculty of Medicine – just as soon as she was old enough. And by golly, the time from now 'til then was conveniently the time it took for a person to complete an entire undergraduate degree _if_ she was signed into extra classes every semester... _of course_...

Serena's mouth went dry as she thought of all the extra work she would have to do, as in _really_ do. She had no previous memory to help her through this time, no friends of the blue-haired variety to study with... no hope.

Serena thought of her friends, the ones from another life who were still in middle school. They would be taking the next few weeks to relax away from the daily grind. Serena, meanwhile, would be pulling her hair out (literally) while her brains dribbled out of her ears (figuratively). Not a pretty sight.

Travelling an hour on the subway every day would not be ideal, Serena knew of the rumours and any fourteen year old would have to be crazy or desperate to make the commute alone every morning. She was just that desperate. Serena sighed as she stood next to her mother on the subway platform.

"So this route takes a little longer but has all 'women only' cars." Serena's mother commented to an inattentive daughter. Serena gave a non-committal 'mm-hmm' which seemed to satisfy her. "You could take the shuttle bus from here to here and it would save you fifteen minutes if you were really in a hurry..." Serena's mother continued on with her helpful planning as they entered the subway car. "But I don't see the need, what with you being an early riser and all. You shouldn't have a problem getting there in time every morning!"

Serena gave a startled blink and responded to her mother's enthusiastic grin with one of her own. It really was exciting to think about. She had never gone to university in her past life, this would be something new to experience and she was looking forward to it more and more.

. . . . . . . . . .

Darien tossed and turned in his bed, the haunting figure of his Princess flitting across his mind as his body attempted to rest. She was so far away, her touches barely grazing on his dream-skin and she called to him with such longing... It was getting harder for Darien resist the urge to pack up and fly to Japan. Snapshots of a million happy moments flashed before his eyes, a thousand gentle caresses giving him goose bumps even in sleep. Despite the happiness, despite the desperate longing with which she called to him, he could never quite catch a glimpse of her face. Her tempting form mocked him.

Even in sleep his body railed against the lack of possession, he thrashed about so violently that his bedmate soon awoke. Worry creasing her otherwise flawless skin, the short-haired blonde shook his shoulder until Darien awoke with a start. Confusion marred his features as he took in his surroundings.

Blinking once at the sight of the pretty woman at his side, Darien instantly scowled before stalking out of his bed. Finding his pants in the darkness, he started dressing, silently cursing his weakness; he knew this was not _Her._ Darien needed his Princess so much but he could never figure out who she was; in his desperation anyone with a resemblance would do.

"I gotta take off, Mandy," Darien gruffly spoke, averting his eyes while knowing exactly how it looked; because that was _exactly_ how it was. "You can make yourself some breakfast in the morning. Fredrick," Darien ran his hands through his unwashed hair, hating the way it refused to fall back into place. "...he's the doorman downstairs, he can call you a cab if you need it."

"Darien?" the pretty blonde, confused, tried to make sense of the situation. "I...Was it something I did?" She was genuinely hurt and again Darien cursed himself. It was not the first time he had done this and he knew, as much as he wanted it to be, it would not be the last time either. It still did not make it any easier.

"Look, Mandy, I'm really sorry. I got carried away, both of us," he recalled the late night after sneaking into a bar. "got carried away. I'm sorry if you thought this could be anything more, but..." Darien shrugged his shoulders as his voice trailed off. Kicking himself as she sat in the bed with the sheet pulled around her, he saw as her stunned face struggled with the hurt he had inflicted. With a mental scolding, Darien left his New York apartment and walked to his favourite all-night diner.

Darien found the neon glow of the diner and it instantly set his heart and mind at ease. He liked this place with its unassuming atmosphere. Jerry, the diner's night-time server, gave him a once over, bringing him a coffee and a low chuckle.

"Another one of _them_ nights, huh, Darien?" The assumption, while from another would have been insulting, was shrugged off with as good humour as Darien could muster. Jerry could always tell when a person felt guilty, the sixth sense had helped keep him from getting robbed blind more than once and it was put to good use every now and then.

"Yeah, Jerry, another one of _them_ nights," Darien mimicked, not unkindly. "I really gotta learn to stop trying to be friends with blondes."

Jerry laughed outright at Darien's dark self-admonishment.

"And _I_ really gotta learn where you pick 'em up so easily," Jerry smirked at the half-hearted glare thrown his way. "What? You not willin' to share?"

Their banter was interrupted by the sound of the door opening and Darien felt a chill go down his spine. Jerry whistled discretely at the sight of the new patron before heading toward the back and out of earshot. Dreading the thought of facing her again, Darien sat stiffly as he nursed his coffee on the counter in front of him.

"Darien," Mandy's small voice called uncertainly. "Are you okay?"

'Shit.'

Darien knew it was a bad idea to make friends with women, they always ended up knowing a little too much about him... like where he went when he had insomnia. So, why couldn't he stop himself? Turning around to face the heartbroken blue-eyed doe, he mentally tried to steel himself against her tearful entreaty. Tried... and failed.

Wrapping his arms around her as she sobbed into his chest, he rubbed gentle circles on her back. He hated making grown women cry; they were always so vulnerable. As she calmed down under his gentle ministrations, he gave a small sigh and pulled her back to meet his gaze.

"Look Mandy, believe me, it's not you." Darien cringed as he saw the tears well up again in her eyes. "I'm leaving for Japan soon, I'm moving back home for good." He saw the realization dawn on her and she slowly nodded her head in acceptance.

"I understand," she whispered, thinking about how distant he had been with all of his friends lately. And she _had_ been the one to bring him out, hoping against hope that he would finally notice how much she was a woman and he a man. "I..." her voice hitched but Darien could almost see as she mentally dusted herself off. "I hope you don't think things can be the same between us, Darien." She gave him an obvious once-over and Darien inwardly cringed as he felt her eyes linger on certain parts of his anatomy. "Even if it didn't mean anything, last night was too memorable to just let it fall to the wayside..." Pulling back to hide the hurt, Mandy gave him a coquettish grin and a little wave before turning around to walk with swaying hips out of the diner.

Darien visibly deflated as she left his sight and Jerry returned, his own rakish grin suggesting none-too-subtly just how much he approved of Darien's deceptive let-down.

"Nice work Darien, but what are you going to tell her when you don't head home like you promised? The way her man-eating eyes were all over you, she's not just going to let you go..." Jerry knew all too well Darien's plans to complete his undergrad in America before heading back to Japan to become a doctor.

"I meant it," Darien whispered, suddenly aware of that fact. No plan, no reason, just that unquenchable urge to go home. Too bad for him he had to wait out this school year and the next or risk losing his two-year entrance scholarship.

Jerry slowly lost the smile. Since he had moved into his apartment as an emancipated minor at the age of fifteen Darien had been fighting insomnia by heading to the diner, usually at the same time Jerry was fighting sleep. The two had come to know each other well enough that Jerry could read the younger man pretty well. He knew something was wrong, this was definitely not like Darien.

"I gotta figure this out, man." Darien grimaced as he thought of the woman back at his apartment and dreaded the thought of returning with her still there. Tomorrow was Saturday and she would have to leave by 8:30 if she was going to get to work for 10:00, but that meant another four hours of waiting. Darien sighed and Jerry brought around the coffee pot. As usual, he would lend an ear to his brother-in-arms in the war on sleep.

"You want a refill?"

. . . . . . . . . .

The semester was a blur. The welcome ceremony blended seamlessly with round one of mid-term examinations which flowed effortlessly into round two of mid-term examinations which came to a dead stop right before finals. Serena was in a panic. In the blur that was supposed to have been her first semester in secondary education she assumed that she knew information, she honestly believed that there ought to be something that should indicate the answer to the first question. It had a nice, neat little line for her and everything. Now if only she could make out the meaning of that darned kanji... woman on the left, life on the right 姓... oh right! It was the kanji for 'name'! Perfect, now what was the answer...?

Serena awoke with a start, her heart racing as she lost a grip on whatever dream had woken her so suddenly. Swinging her legs out of bed she groaned as she caught sight of her alarm clock in the pre-dawn light. 5:45 – too early to be awake, too late to go back to sleep. Stretching out her morning cramps, Serena yawned and made her way downstairs. She would be long gone by the time her brother would be up for school but her father was usually up and about at that hour.

Meeting him in the kitchen, Serena gave her father a peck on the cheek as he read the previous day's newspaper.

"Morning sweetie, how does it feel to not have exams?" he asked sweetly.

"A lot like having to go back early to get ahead of the upcoming semester's work," Serena grumped back as she pulled out the nearest instant breakfast she could find.

Glancing over his paper, he chuckled softly. "That makes your seventh morning in a row of natto. Are you trying to break a record?"

Serena pouted. "If I knew how to make something without burning it, I'd love to have something different. I'm just lucky Mom makes me lunches or I'd forget what real food tastes like!"

Serena finished her breakfast and said goodbye to her father before rushing up to take a quick shower.

Heading out just as she heard her brother's alarm sound, Serena waited for the bus that would take her to the subway station. Comfortable in her surroundings, Serena made her way to the connecting subway car, the now-familiar journey barely registering as she walked from point to point.

Sitting in the subway train for the remaining forty-five minute commute, Serena thought about her upcoming semester and of all of the work she had done to get where she was. It was looking to be a gruelling semester and she had not even taken English yet! Passing her time by reading through the printed course syllabuses for four of her six courses, Serena nodded in confirmation of what they displayed. She could do it, she was sure. Her efforts, combined with those of the classmates she had befriended, would make it possible. All she had to do was make it through this semester and it would be smooth sailing!

. . . . . . . . . .

Darien tossed and turned in his sleep, his mind overwhelmed with images of pain. The images of what could almost be memory (But who's? Certainly not his own...) threatened to overwhelm him...

He stood alone in the moonlight, the edge of the tree-line obscuring his form from the eyes he knew were searching. His armour was heavy on his shoulders but, even with the weight, it felt like a second skin. Hand gripping the hilt of his sword he saw the first being enter the clearing. Alone, smaller than the others, but probably just as vicious, the humanoid crept at a pace too slow to be sincere. Its pale lavender-coloured skin looked sickly under the full moon, its purplish hair looking almost black in the night. He saw it for the trap it was; they meant to draw him out, if he was even near – and he knew they did not know where he was, could not know where he was, this was _his_ planet after all.

A twig snapped nearby and he crouched lower; they were circling around, like they had probably done in a half dozen other clearings while they looked for him. When this being, this invader, finally let down its guard, he would attack.

He watched, tense and ready, as the creature scanned the area once more before picking up the pace more naturally. A series of clicks, like those of a dolphin but lower in pitch, resonated and he nearly jumped at the close proximity of the reply. Pivoting silently, he saw its comrade back on and refused to waste the opportunity. The sound of the sword sliding out of the scabbard alerted the being to its inevitable demise, not in time to save itself, but in time to call out a warning in its strange tongue. He cleanly decapitated the being, its head falling with a dull thump before the body swayed and joined it. The rustling of foliage behind him had him scrambling for cover, but too late; the other being had seen him.

The being attacked swiftly, but he was ready. The hasty clicks signalled its fellows and even as one fell, three more took his place. Pushed into a battle he could not win, he fought desperately for the sake of his world. As he sliced through one after another, their relentless onslaught never waning, he felt his confidence ebb away.

Then he stumbled.

The being, its clicking voice full of vengeful intonations, approached steadily and he knew he would meet his end this day.

The suddenness of the light startled him as much as the brightness blinded him.

When at last he could see again, nothing of the beings remained.

"Prince Endymion..." The female voice called to him, its full-bodied richness enticing him even as he reeled from the shock.

He was alive.

He stood, a soft silver glow leading him out of the tree line and toward the safety the voice offered. Standing before him were four female warriors and two dazzling beings. He recognized the four, they were often seen, one at a time, in his court; on leave from their duty to protect the lunar royalty, it seemed each and every one of the four had found lovers in his court. And they wondered why Earth was the centre of political importance in this system...

"Endymion..." a second voice repeated the first and even as he heard it he could hardly believe his ears. The younger woman, the second one to speak, stood slightly behind the first, flanked loosely by her four guardian warriors.

So this was the Princess...

. . . . . . . . . .

Darien awoke just as his eyes touched _Hers_. Left with an overwhelming sense of loss, Darien pulled himself out of his bed and prepared for his day. He felt his desire for the Princess flood through him and he cursed himself for his weakness in needing a woman he could not be sure was even real. Plane tickets in the night stand next to his bed, Darien consciously assured himself that he would be able to follow her summons soon... just as soon as the real world let him.

. . . . . . . . . .

**TO BE CONTINUED...**

NEXT: Chapter Two – In Dreams

. . . . . . . . . .

_Tokyo University's Faculty of Medicine only accepts 100 applicants per year but I'm not sure what the requirements are. We'll just chalk up any inaccuracies to creative license :P_

_As always your comments are appreciated (read and review pretty please)._

_~ Sarga_


	3. Chapter Two: In Dreams

_**Running in Circles  
**Written by Sarga_

_Posted March 18, 2010_

_Summary: Reborn after the fight with Queen Beryl, Serena, her memories intact, finds herself longing for a love beyond her reach. Forced to face the possibility that he might not be her moonlight night after all Serena yearns for the love of a thousand lifetimes._

_  
Rated M for adult situations and language._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon, but I promise to put her back just the way I found her._

* * *

**Chapter Two – In Dreams**

. . . . . . . . . .

Four all-she-had-to-do-was-make-it-through semesters and one and a half years later, Serena found herself at a sort of an impasse. Here she was sixteen years old, half way through an undergraduate degree with the promise of even more school and she had not even heard a peep about Darien. Mind you, she always had her face stuck so far into a book that she would hardly have seen him if he walked right in front of her, but that was part of the problem, was it not?

Serena sighed as she walked through the empty hallways on this time that she should have used to relax. Making a beeline for the library she hoped against hope that it would be open despite the holiday only to find that it was, indeed, closed. Suddenly finding herself with nothing to study and nowhere to be Serena was at a loss as to what to do. Her family would not be home until supper time and it was still early.

Serena grinned as she thought of the perfect way to pass the time. Skipping to the nearest ice cream shop, Serena proceeded to order the largest, chocolatiest, messiest confection on the menu. She could see the server behind the counter mentally count the yen and he made sure she got what she paid for. Seating herself at the counter (who would want to risk ruining such a delicate treat by carrying it?) Serena dug right in with reckless abandon, her figure be damned.

Ignoring the sound of the shop door opening, Serena nearly face-planted into the ice cream as a man stumbled past her and jarred her forward.

"Sorry," the sandy-haired man slurred behind him as he made his unsteady way to the bathroom.

"Sorry about my friend," another voice called from the doorway. "He's not one for motorcycles, so it seems."

Serena turned around and froze like her slightly-dripping sundae (minus the dripping).

"Darien?" Serena gasped and she saw his brow furrow in confusion.

"Do I... know you?" Darien asked as he took off his sunglasses. Was this her, was this his Princess...?

"I don't know..." Serena gained some of her breath back, giving him a saucy half-smile. "Do you?"

He stopped flat, heartbeat racing as he recognized the teasing lilt, but from where... then he remembered. This was Serena, the same girl that had been at his bedside when he had awoken at age ten with no memory of his past; the same girl who had trailed after him for two years until he had left for New York. Giving the impression of dismissal, Darien groaned inwardly as he saw that the annoying tag-along had become the embodiment of his weakness; long blonde hair, big blue eyes, soft round... lips. Mentally emboldening himself to put some distance between him and his temptation, he put his glasses back on and walked toward the bathroom after his ill friend.

Ignoring her question, he gave her a sideways glance that she barely registered as he passed.

"Careful meatball head. If you keep eating like that you'll get fat." Darien inwardly cringed at her open-mouthed astonishment, even in anger she looked adorable. He was in trouble...

Sputtering in indignation Serena wolfed down the remaining sundae, intent on eating every last bite regardless of how infuriated she was, and she ignored the wide-eyed disbelief of her server as he watched the spectacle. Stomping out of the restaurant in a big show of frustration, her heartbeat raced even as she grinned all the way to the subway station.

Her Darien had returned.

. . . . . . . . . .

The princess weighed heavily in his arms, her unconscious form limp as he dragged her away from the dead corpse of her attacker. Her blood was all over him and he could see the parallel gouges in her flesh through her torn silver dress. Her head had hit the ground and rendered her unconscious leaving him with the task of protecting both of them and finding a way to escape.

She was losing so much blood...

Darien awoke in a cold sweat. His dreams were becoming so intense as of late, their vivid displays more grotesque than ever before. He had thought for sure that these dreams would ease once he had come as she demanded, not get worse!

Darien swung his legs over the bed, his black pyjama pants the only thing separating him from his apartment's cold night air. Grabbing a towel from the closet, he stumbled to the bathroom and took a warm shower to try and get the chill out of his body. Another 4 A.M. morning wouldn't kill him, ne?

. . . . . . . . . .

Bright and early, Serena sat in the first row of her second year English course and glared menacingly at the course outline in front of her. It was written quite clearly... in English. Unfortunately for her she was about half a world away from anything English and that certainly did not help things. As she continued to stare at the paper while it refused to self-combust she failed to notice someone brush past her.

"Something wrong with that paper, meatball head, or are you just disappointed that it's not covered in chocolate syrup?" Darien slid into the seat next to her intentionally goading her into anger.

"Why you... I'd like to see _you_ covered in chocolate syrup!" Serena paled as several students turned their heads toward her inadvertently suggestive comment. Turning red, she could not fail to miss the smirk on Darien's face as she huffed and turned forward. Not even he could pass up such a golden opportunity.

"Some of us are here to study," Darien whispered in a voice that led one to think of anything _but_ studying.

Serena flushed then turned even redder at the thoughts that passed through her head. Darien could not help the blood rush that happened at the site of her reaction; she was so attractive when she was angry.

The prof entered the class and Serena saw him blink as his eyes scanned over her. Seeing his concerned look, Serena's face became a veritable tomato as he approached. In a confidential voice he raised his concern.

"Are you alright, Serena? You don't look well."

Serena shook her head stiffly as she heard a low chuckle to her left.

"No, I'm fine. Must have been too much sun over the weekend," she offered lamely. He seemed satisfied however and he headed back to the front of the class and began his lecture, oblivious to the mortification that was Serena Tsukino.

. . . . . . . . . .

Waiting for the crowd to pile through the door, Serena slowly packed her books. Noticing that she was not the only one dawdling, Serena hazarded a glance to her neighbour even as her heartbeat refused to slow.

"Why are you taking this course, anyway, Darien? You spent the better part of your childhood in New York," Serena's question startled him out of what had been keeping him stationary.

"What are you, my stalker?" Darien asked, face failing to keep his astonishment hidden. It seemed that she remembered him too.

"Yes, I was born to serve your every whim. My very existence is due to your shining beauty." The statement, while true, was dripping with sarcasm.

Darien blinked, looking for a way around without encouraging her forward attitude.

"I'm being sarcastic, Mr. Percepto. Sheesh, you'd think a guy like you would be able to tell a stalker from a childhood friend."

Darien really took offence to that.

"What the hell are you talking about? There were decidedly few people I would call friend, and you, meatball head, were definitely not one of them." If she only knew just how little _friend_ship was on his mind, he was certain she would have run the other way. He loathed himself for his attraction – one pretty blonde after another was just not right...

Serena was hurt, the pure venom in his voice was enough to throw even her for a loop. It was only when the next class began filing in that she realized he had stormed past her and out the door. Pulling her bag over her shoulder, Serena made her way toward the library for some studying before she took the train home for the evening.

. . . . . . . . . .

Darien could have hit himself for being such a jerk. Ever since he had spotted her in the ice cream shop this force of nature who pretended to be a woman was all he could think of, and that was bad. _Very_ bad.

His dreams had grown in frequency and intensity lately and somehow he knew, without the shadow of a doubt, that his Princess was waiting for him somewhere close. He could _not_ afford to get distracted by a pretty face now, not if he was going to find her _and_ pass his courses. If only _She_ would tell him who she was!

Darien sifted through the stack of library books he had piled on the table and chose the three most relevant to bring home. At least he would not have to worry about English for a couple of years. Having spent so long in an English speaking country he was now perfectly fluent. Lucky for him he could still get credit for the course work.

Speaking of which, he grimaced as he thought of Serena, the blonde woman who had been in his class and remembered him from his childhood. She had hung off of him even then and he knew he was in for trouble if he gave her even an inkling of encouragement.

Too bad he was ready to pull out the glee club to egg her on...

. . . . . . . . . .

Serena rubbed her forehead gently as she rushed to the subway platform. Trying to get the crease of the paper out of her skin, Serena could hardly believe that she had fallen asleep in such a public place... but she had the paper indents to prove it.

Making her way down the steps she failed to notice the lack of people around her. She failed to notice a lone male size her up and grin to himself. She failed to notice his hand reach from behind... until it clamped over her mouth as he dragged her backward into the shadowed recesses of the platform. In her panic Serena tried biting him but her jaw was wedged open by his watch. He only laughed darkly as he shifted his other hand further upward, groping her chest even as he used the leverage to propel her further backward.

Screaming mutely behind his hand, Serena only succeeded in getting a rise out of him. She felt the tears trickle unbidden down her cheeks at the realization that she was trapped. Elbowing backwards in a desperate attempt to flee, Serena bolted as soon as his grip loosened and she managed to make it a whole flight of stairs before he caught up. He grabbed at her ankle and Serena toppled forward, narrowly missing an impact between her head and the concrete step. When she kicked at his face he adeptly dodged the attack; it seemed he was a pro at the sport of girl wrangling.

No longer mute, Serena screamed at the top of her lungs while she kicked, clawed and elbowed her way to the top of the stairs. At the top platform at last, Serena found that suddenly she was no longer being chased. In fact, her attacker was apparently facing suffocation as her dark-haired rescuer held him aloft by the neck. She felt rather than saw the security officers rush past her and it was only due to their intervention that the attacker did not end up thrown down the stairs. Serena knew he would do it, she had seen Tuxedo Mask finish off too many villains who had attacked her to believe otherwise.

Standing on shaking legs, Serena let Darien guide her to a bench. Too shocked to register the concern that marred his face, she let him rub her arms gently as she tried to get her bearings.

"Miss, we'll need to take a statement to make sure this scum gets put away. Would you come with us please?"

Serena looked at the security guard in stunned silence before shaking her head of the cobwebs. Standing, her legs a little more reliable, she felt Darien pull away as one of the guards led her to an office.

Looking to him with pleading eyes she begged.

"Please, Darien, come with me?"

Not even the most hardened criminal could deny that gaze, let alone a man with such a resonant connection with the woman doing the gazing. Darien nodded and followed them to the office as he remained stunned with the turn of events. One minute he had been heading home, the next he had heard a scream from the subway. Panicking, he had abandoned his bike near a subway entrance and found... _that_. It did not dawn on him that the roar of his engine should have drowned out the sound of her voice. If it had, maybe he would have made that vital connection he had been looking for...

Darien held Serena's hand as security took her statement and he led her up the stairs to where his bike had somehow made it to a parking space, although it was slightly scraped as it lay on its side – witness to his tuck-and-roll into the subway stairwell.

"Thanks, Darien," Serena breathed, leaning into his side as if he were the only thing keeping her upright. As far as she could figure, that may very well have been the case.

Turning her head, Serena saw the glimpse of confusion that was concealed before he eased out of her grip to set his bike upright.

"Can I take you anywhere? If you want to talk about it we could head to a little place I know nearby. I'm buying..." He trailed off, wondering if he was _actually_ trying to convince a victim of assault to come have a bite to eat like a regular dinner date.

Serena's answering radiant grin pushed away the doubt and the pair hopped onto the bike. Three blocks later, Serena was led into a quaint little diner with authentic looking... well, she wasn't sure what they were, but the did look authentic. Her giggle seemed to put Darien at ease again and the pair chatted amiably about inconsequential things.

'So much for staying away from pretty blondes,' Darien chastised himself. 'Well, it's only for tonight...' he thought.

'What could go wrong?'

. . . . . . . . . .

**TO BE CONTINUED...**

_NEXT: Chapter Three – I'd Gladly Pay You Tuesday_

. . . . . . . . . .

_From what I can gather the school year starts in April in Japan as opposed to September in New York. So two years of school for Darien (September to August for two years) equates to a year and a half (April to August of the following year) for Serena. Serena's accelerated course load would match with Darien's regular course load at the point where they meet. I hope that makes sense._

_This chapter's title is also the name of one of my other fics... I like the name so I stole it! *muw-ah-ha-ha-ha*_

_Comments are always welcome, so please read and review._

_  
~Sarga_


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